Trenton PBA president booted from his office at police headquarters

Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 11 President George Dzurkoc says he was removed from his office of 40 years last month by Director Ralph Rivera Jr. and placed into a passageway at police headquarters.

“The passageway is not really an office, per se,” Dzurkoc said Friday. “I view that as pretty much completely unacceptable.”

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The PBA president said he was initially told of the move in January, and then was officially booted by Rivera on Feb. 20.

“The reason that he took me out was a very valid reason at first,” Dzurkoc said. “He claims they’re not in compliance with juvenile justice and that office is one of the few offices left in the secure area of the police department.”

But the new union space was not conducive to the level of security and privacy Dzurkoc expected.

The PBA president said he sent Rivera a letter with his concerns over the space due to attorney/client privilege and suggested other options at police headquarters.

On Friday, Mayor George Muschal tried to remedy the situation by offering the security office in City Hall as a new spot for Dzurkoc to save taxpayers money in litigation.

“I thought this is great,” Muschal said of the office next to his on the second floor. “I got a PBA guy here and an armed guard for City Hall.”

But Rivera apparently wasn’t thrilled with the new digs for Dzurkoc.

“He said it’s a violation of the law,” the mayor said of a phone call he received from Rivera on Friday morning. “I don’t know anything about that. I’m trying to find out.”

Rivera did not return a call seeking comment.

Muschal said he sent Rivera two letters about the office space issue, but received no response.

The mayor claims Dzurkoc was ousted from his office because the PBA won a handful of grievances last year against Rivera that Muschal wanted fulfilled when he became mayor.

“All he did was move me out of there and spark another grievance,” Dzurkoc said. “He’s been convicted of retaliating against officers.”

Dzurkoc said his former office remains vacant.

About the Author

Originally from Webster, N.Y., David has been a reporter in N.J. for the past three years (first in Phillipsburg and now in Trenton).He is a Temple alum who interned at the Philadelphia Daily News. Reach the author at dfoster@trentonian.com
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